A trial has begun in New Zealand against a mother accused of murdering her children.

According to The Sun: A trial has started in New Zealand against a woman accused of murdering two children and hiding their bodies in suitcases that were later sold at auction.

44-year-old Hakyoung Lee, a native of South Korea and a citizen of New Zealand, faces two counts of murder related to the deaths of eight-year-old Yoon Cho and six-year-old Min Cho that occurred in 2018.

Lee, claiming her innocence, appeared before the High Court in Auckland, where she declined to answer questions regarding her guilt.

She remained silent and shook her head when the judge recorded her plea as 'not guilty'.

Judge Jeffrey Wening told the jury that the trial is expected to last about four weeks.

One of the issues that might be considered during the investigation is whether Lee was legally insane at the time of the murders.

The bodies of the children were discovered in August 2022 by a family from South Auckland who purchased the contents of an illegally abandoned storage unit, which included two suitcases at an auction in Papatoetoe.

Police confirmed that the buyers were not linked to the children's deaths.

This horrific case occurred more than four years after the alleged murders of the children, which took place between June 23 and July 27, 2018.

Lee was arrested in Ulsan, South Korea, in September 2022 after a red notice from Interpol and when monitored by local law enforcement.

Two months later, she was extradited to New Zealand.

During her arrest, Lee appeared before reporters with a jacket over her head, repeatedly asserting: 'I didn't do it.'

Lee, born as Ji Un Lee, decided to represent herself in court, although two lawyers – Lorraine Smith and Chris Wilkinson-Smith – were appointed as reserves.

She continues to deny the charges, having first claimed her innocence in 2023.

The trial was initially set to take place in 2024 but has now been rescheduled.

The tragic background of the case

This case has a tragic context.

Lee's husband and the father of the two children reportedly died of cancer in 2017.

Afterward, she left New Zealand and moved to South Korea in 2018, shortly after the children's murder, according to prosecutors.

Given the high level of public attention, Judge Wening urged the jurors to reach a verdict solely based on the evidence.

He noted that the case might also hinge on whether Lee was insane at the time of the murders.

The prosecution will start its case on Tuesday.

The trial of Hakyoung Lee certainly draws attention as the situation reminds us of the importance of justice in cases involving violence against children. It is noteworthy that the prosecutors will present their evidence, which may influence the uncovering of the circumstances under which these events occurred. Monitoring the developments in this case will provide better insight into how the justice system works in similar high-profile cases.